There are a million stories in this city

By CheriRae Wright

Mark your calendars now for the 2015 San Miguel International Storytelling Festival. Tickets will go on sale soon for the Festival, which takes place October 9-17. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to hear stories told by people from a variety of places in Mexico and the US. Auditions have been held, and now all who were selected are practicing their stories for the competition, which will be held on October 15 and 16.

Each of us has an untold number of stories that define our lives. When thinking of a pre-school moment, a first date, a job interview, a birthday party, a death, our parent’s divorce, a wedding, or a school graduation, our thoughts about that event tell a story. We see in our mind the people, the place, the actions, the reactions, and the outcome, and we re-experience the feelings. Often we find ourselves telling these stories around the dinner table, during a social activity, or visiting with a stranger on a plane. However, when it is suggested we tell the story on a stage to a live audience, we freeze.

Although everyone has a story, not everyone has developed the skills appropriate to telling a story well. As a part of the 2015 San Miguel International Storytelling Festival, we will offer a two-day workshop, October 9 and 10, with additional post-workshop coaching and rehearsing. All workshop participants will be invited to perform their story in the theater at Bellas Artes on the evening of October 14.

The workshop will be facilitated by Stephanie Medlock, novelist, journalist, and experienced storyteller who frequently performs in the Chicago area; Mark Saunders, author, playwright, and founder of San Miguel Ten Minute Play Festival; Maggie Bunce, professional actress and teacher of theater; and BC May, experienced actor and director.

Participants will learn to craft their story in a safe environment through lecture, breakout sessions, and individual assistance. To provide a quality learning experience, workshop seating is limited to 20 participants. At the completion of the workshop and post-workshop coaching, all participants will be prepared to perform on stage a well-crafted, seven-minute true story.

To register, contact CheriRae Wright, cherirae@mac.com. Cost of the workshop is 1,200 pesos. Workbook will be provided upon registration. As a special gift to the first 10 registrants, Nathan Feuerberg will provide pre-workshop story editing via email. Nathan has an MSC in creative writing from the University of Edinburgh and an MFA in creative writing from the University of New Orleans.